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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Identified Blog Tour

Welcome to my stop on the Identified: The Maya Price Story Blog Tour hosted by Megan at Reading Away the Days. When I read this book I was blown away by how much I enjoyed it! The author, Faith A. Rice Mills, has created an interesting and relate-able world that I would love to be a part of.
Want to know more about the story? Check out my review!

As my part of the blog tour I was able to ask the author some questions about her book and her writing process, below are her answers.

How did you come up with the inspiration for the story?

"You know, I'm not entirely sure. I just had the idea on a long
distance drive from my to my boyfriend's (now husband) house. I came up
with a girl named Maya, who was able to travel between dimensions, and
the story has evolved from there..."

Who is your favorite character?

"Probably Lamar. He's so awkward and dorky at first, but he has
the courage and the strength to sacrifice his own needs for the sake of
others. I also like Luz because, like her, I tend to say exactly what I
think."

Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?

"The only character based on someone I knew is Maya's brother,
Carl. He is based on a childhood friend of mine, also named Carl. My
friend Carl was very mellow, good-natured, and kind of quirky, just like
Maya's brother. However, Carl passed away after we graduated from high
as a result of a car accident, for which he was not at fault. I wanted
to include him in the story as a way for all of us who love him to
remember him."

How hard was it to self publish your book and promote it?

"So. Stinking. Hard. First of all, I had to find beta readers,
find a cover artist, learn how to format the book and find a good
editor. Also, I am not very good at self-promotion. I honestly had no
idea what I was doing. But, I am slowly learning. I am meeting
bloggers, disseminating my book internationally, and finally figuring
out how to use Twitter to my advantage. Also, there is no formula that
guarantees people will read your book. Sometimes you market your book
all that you can, sit back, and cross your fingers that people decide to
read it."

If you could control one of the four elements, which would it be and
why?

"I think water, for several reasons: 1.) I could make it stop
raining when the weather is screwing up my day, 2.) I could fill up my
water bottle when I get thirsty and 3.) I could easily put a swimming
pool in my backyard."

What made you decide to you different styles throughout the story?
For example, you used diary entries, future character memories,
transcripts and Maya's own narrative.

"I like stories written in first
person, because you really get to know the main character, but that is
not what I wanted to do with Maya. I wanted the focus to be on Maya,
but I wanted to involve the other primary characters and have readers
get to know them as well. I also wanted there to be a little bit of a
mystery left to Maya. As far as the first person letters, journals,
and interviews are concerned, it was my goal for readers to have hope
for Maya's story and not think that everything turned out bad, which is
why I included the journal entries with dates in the future. I thought
that these first person accounts would be a way for readers to get to
know the other characters, and the history behind Maya's story, without
taking the focus away from the protagonist."

How many books do you plan on writing in the Maya Price series?

"I go back and forth between four and five. Sometimes I think four
won't be nearly enough to cover all of Maya's story, but sometimes I
think five is way too many. I guess we will have to see. However, I do
not plan for it to be more than five books."

"Always write down
your ideas! There are times when I'm, you know, out for a jog or at
Starbucks, and I will have an amazing idea for the next part of Maya's
journey. But, by the time I get home, I will have forgotten about it.
You should always carry a small notebook or, if you have a smartphone,
use a note taking app to record your ideas. Also, reading helps your
writing. Reading builds your vocabulary and enhances your understanding
of grammar. I am always reading something. In fact, I get kind of
stressed out if I don't have something to read. Finally, never be
afraid to let other people read what you have written. Your readers
will have great suggestions and helpful criticism."

Why should people buy and read your book? Other than the fact that it's just plain amazing... :-)

"This is a coming of age story. Maya has to leave her hometown
(which is her comfort zone) and figure out how to be an adult. While we
may not all be able to throw dirt around only using our thoughts, or
change what people are hearing, we all have that experience of having to
leave home, learning to be an adult, and discovering who we really are.
I think readers of all ages will be able to see a little bit of themselves in Maya and in her journey."

2 comments:

I love this interview! I like the authors reasoning behind adding the journal entries and things like that to the end of every chapters because those were one of my favorite parts of the book! I finished Identified: The Maya Price Story last week and I thought it was so good! I'm apart of a different blog tour for it and I cannot wait to share my review!